North Warwickshire MP Mike O'Brien has described a 600-strong public meeting in Bedworth as a "victory over apathy."

The meeting, which was called to demand improvements to Bedworth's beleaguered town centre, was chaired by Mr O'Brien at Bedworth Civic Hall.

There was standing room only at the back of the hall, and Mr O'Brien said: "It was victory over apathy. These days, you are normally lucky to get a dozen to a public meeting.

"People care about Bedworth and, because they cared, they turned out in force. It was a constructive meeting with some really positive ideas about the town centre."

The Evening Telegraph reported yesterday how Post Office chiefs attended the meeting and announced that a central post office would be restored to Bedworth's town centre by March next year.

Bosses at Somerfield, who run the hypermarket in Mill Street, Bedworth, have also said they are planning a "major development" of the store's multi-storey car park and adjoining land, which could see a &#xA3;1million investment in a new store and further retail units in Mill Street.

Mr O'Brien said: "This would be a big development for a part of the town that has looked run-down for years."

John Deegan, the county council's director for planning, transport and environment, said Tesco - which has a site in Leicester Street - was planning to stay in Bedworth and upgrade its store. It had recently signed an agreement.

'Delighted'

"I am delighted," said Mr Deegan. "I have never known such a solid commitment from a store before. This is great, especially at a time when we could face competition from the big store developments just south of here in Coventry."

Saturday's public meeting was arranged by Mr O'Brien after he was approached in his surgery by Bedworth pensioners Des Moore and Emma Stretton, who wanted to talk about improving the town centre.

Mrs Stretton said: "My ideas for making Bedworth a better place are we should move the market stalls from the current covered market site into All Saints Square.

"This would put the stalls in the centre of the town. It would make Bedworth feel more like a market town. It would bring back the character of the old Bedworth and encourage people to come into the town."

But Mr O'Brien said the market traders had carried out a survey and 75 per cent wanted to stay where they were. "Some traders would leave Bedworth if they were forced to move to All Saints Square," he said.

"The square has no roof, so the traders would be exposed to the elements."